News from the Indiana Chapter of the American College of Cardiology
Indiana-ACC Newsletter, May 2023
President's Message
Vijay Rao, MD, PhD, FACC
Dear Indiana-ACC Colleague,

Call for Board Nominations

I would like to announce the call for Indiana-ACC Board nominations. Submit your recommendation(s) or nominate yourself by June 15 for the upcoming election. Nominees must be Fellows, Associate Fellows, Affiliates, Distinguished Fellows, or Honorary Fellows of the American College of Cardiology. Here is the full description of the Indiana-ACC Councilor Role. Primarily we are seeking your counsel as we work to build a strong voice for cardiology in Indiana. The time commitment is reasonable. The responsibilities of a councilor include demonstrated leadership qualities, willingness to work as a team member, attending one in-person Council meeting a year, Chapter Legislative Day, and Annual Meeting, knowledge of ACC programs and activities, and communicating with the Council as needed and requested.

The Indiana-ACC Council election will be held during this summer. Please assist your Chapter by helping to select its leaders. Submit your recommendation(s) or nominate yourself.

Chapter Involvement
In terms of chapter involvement, I was recently a guest on Dr. Ankur Kalra's Parallax podcast. We discussed how to get involved with the Indiana-ACC, improve leadership skills, and ways in which early career faculty members can get involved with the organization at a state level. I also discussed the governorship election process and emphasized the importance of advocacy. Listen to the Parallax podcast about getting involved with the ACC.
LGBTQIA+ and the Cardiology Community
We want to remind you that Pride month (June) is quickly approaching, and Dr. Stephen Cooke addresses the importance of LGBTQ+ Diversity in Cardiology in his article for JACC (Voices in Cardiology). As one example, education about the use of gender-neutral language, use of pronouns, etc. can still be challenging today for many cardiologists, but it remains vital to the millions of LGBTQ+ people in the US. You can also listen to this podcast about Empowering the LGBTQIA+ Community of Cardiovascular Patients & Professionals.
Contact Us
If Gwen Goldfarb, our chapter executive, or I can be of assistance to you, please let us know.

Sincerely,

Vijay
Indiana-ACC Advocacy
Legislative Day on March 8th

The Indiana-ACC held its annual legislative day in Indianapolis on March 8, 2023. Members visited their Indiana representatives and senators to introduce them to cardiology issues facing them and their patients. Building relationships with state lawmakers helps to ensure that the Indiana Legislature remains informed about issues facing providers and patients. The group also met with the district offices of Senator Todd Young and Senator Mike Braun to discuss legislation addressed, including SB 7 Physician non-compete agreements and referrals, Senate Bill 369 automated external defibrillators, and HB 1133 ban on the sale of flavored tobacco and e-liquids. Here were the talking points.
Non-Compete: Senate Bill 7

Thanks in part to the advocacy of our IN ACC members, SB7 regarding physician non-competes looks like it will pass in Indiana. It has been sent to Gov. Holcomb for signature. Unfortunately, the bill had a last-minute amendment that only applies to primary care doctors. While specialists often provide a lot of primary care services, they were left out of this bill. However, on the positive side, this is a first step toward removing non-competes for all providers. The Indiana-ACC will continue to work with legislators to advocate for future bills in this domain. 

ACC HeartPAC
HeartPAC, ACC's Political Action Committee, is the nonpartisan political voice of the College that plays a vital role in impacting legislation that benefits the cardiovascular profession and our patients. The ACC HeartPAC is excited to announce that the Indiana-ACC made it to the Final Four of the HeartPAC March Mayhem challenge! Chapters competed with one another to see who could get the most members to contribute to HeartPAC! We are so honored to have such engaged members! It is vitally important that we each support the HeartPAC. No amount is too small. To make your 2023 contribution, please visit HeartPAC.org or text HeartPAC to 41444.
Attention Fellows in Training!
FIT Council Representative Applications Open
Serve as the representative from your training institution to the Indiana-ACC Council.
Share your ideas, network with colleagues, and get involved with the Indiana-ACC. 
Applications are now being accepted. The deadline is June 18. Apply today.

FIT Poster Competition
The Indiana-ACC poster competition is open! Submit your case or research. Compete to win!
Save the date: Indiana-ACC Annual Meeting
Make plans to attend the Indiana-ACC Annual Meeting on Saturday, September 9, at the Marriott Indianapolis North. We have a great agenda planned and look forward to your participation.
Support Inflationary Adjustment for Medicare Reimbursements
On April 6, Reps. Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) and Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA) introduced H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act, which would update the single Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) conversion factor to be equal to the estimated percentage increase in the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) beginning in 2024.
 
The MEI is a measure of inflation that physicians face through changes in practice expenses and wages. The costs of running a practice have increased 47% and, when adjusted for inflation, Medicare physician payments have decreased by over 20% since 2001. This drastic decrease in reimbursement paired with rising practice costs, record inflation and health care workforce shortages has led to an unsustainable system that limits patients’ access to the care they need.

MEI-baselined annual updates are an important step forward in reducing financial uncertainty for practices and improving the delivery of care across the US, particularly for patients in America’s rural, senior and underserved populations.

Indiana Cardio-Oncology Network Dinner
Quick Hits
news
ATTENTION WOMEN IN CARDIOLOGY
You are invited to the 6th Midwest American College of Cardiology Women in Cardiology (ACCWIC) Symposium on June 3, 2023, at the Westin Milwaukee.
 
This event is hosted by the Midwestern Chapters of ACC and everyone is welcome!
 
Highlights of this program include:
1. Keynote speaker Cathie Biga, current ACC Vice President, speaking on achieving financial equity for women cardiologists
2. Morning CME program devoted to sex differences in cardiovascular disease by outstanding midwestern faculty
3. Afternoon panel discussions and breakout sessions focused on career promotion and leadership for women in cardiology
 
We encourage you to post this registration brochure for your fellows, residents, cardiovascular care team members, and physician partners
 
 
HFpEF the Focus of New ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway and JACC Scientific Statement
With the incidence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) on the rise and accounting for more than 50% of all HF cases, a new ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway provides important guidance on the diagnosis and management of patients with the disease. Additionally, a JACC Scientific Statement further examines the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of HFpEF. Both documents are published in JACC.

With more than 6 million Americans with heart failure, patient education is key in managing and living with this condition. To help patients better understand and manage heart failure, ACC’s CardioSmart team has developed a package of tools and resources including a new Action Plan for Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF). The package also includes infographics, decision aids and updated tools teaching patients how to make the most of their follow-up visits, use checklists, daily trackers, and more. Download the tools for free.